What are Dark Patterns in UX Design?
A dark pattern is a deceptive user experience that takes advantage of the way people normally use websites and apps in order to get users to do something they didn’t intend to.
User experience expert Harry Brignull first used the phrase “dark patterns” in 2010, and he defines dark UX as follows:
“ A user interface that has been carefully crafted to trick users into doing things..they are not mistakes, they are carefully crafted with a solid understanding of human psychology, and they do not have the user’s interests in mind. ”
The UX field was born on the desire to improve the experiences and interactions that people have with products and services. But what happens when designers use those powers for evil?
Let’s find out!
Here are the 10 different kinds of dark patterns.
- Bait and Switch
- Disguised Ads
- Misdirection
- Friend Spam
- Hidden Costs
- Trick Questions
- Confirm Shaming
- Roach Control
- FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
- Sneak into Basket
1. Bait and Switch
“You intend to do one thing, but an undesirable, different thing occurs instead.”
It’s free; we just need your credit card and social security number first.
2. Disguised Ads
“Advertisements that mimic different types of content or navigation in order to convince you to click on them.”
Even if you had no idea what it was, you have probably encountered a hidden advertisement on a website or app and that is the entire purpose! Users are more inclined to click on disguised adverts since they look like the other website content.
3. Misdirection
“The design intentionally draws your attention to one thing while diverting it from another.”
Like other forms of misdirection, this dark pattern uses design to focus your attention on one thing in the hopes you’ll overlook something else. For example, if you’re a member of Amazon Prime and want to cancel your account, you’re taken to a page that spotlights images and information about all the benefits you get with Prime. What you may miss is the small, plain boxes at the top of the screen that enables you to change your plan or cancel it entirely.
4. Friend Spam
“The product requests your email or social media permissions on the assumption that it will be used to achieve a desirable result (such as finding friends), but spams all of your contacts with messages that appear to be from you anyway.”
5. Hidden Costs
“You reach the final step of the checkout process only to find out some unexpected charges, like delivery fees, tax, etc., have appeared.”
As I walk through the checkout process, the price seems to keep going… strange.
6. Trick Questions
“You answer a question that, at first view, seems to ask one thing but, upon closer inspection, asks something completely different.”
If you’re not careful, they can mislead you into subscribing to their email newsletter, from which you won’t be able to unsubscribe.
7. Confirm Shaming
“Making the user feel bad for not choosing the recommended path of action. The businesses in question usually employ copywriting to shame customers into making the choice the company wants them to make.”
You are terrible if you refuse to comply with our requests.
8. Roach Model
“The design (for example, a subscription) makes it very simple for you to enter a situation but not easy for you to exit it.”
You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!
For instance, creating an account on websites like Facebook or LinkedIn is simple, but figuring out how to delete that account is much more difficult.
9. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
“This deceives people into thinking that an item is in high demand, which puts pressure on them to make a hasty purchase choice. Users believe they will miss out on this unique opportunity if they don’t decide quickly.”
10. Sneak into Basket
“You try to make a purchase, but somewhere along the way the website secretly adds another item to your cart, frequently by using an opt-out radio button or checkbox on a previous page.”
So, how Designers can push back?
Designers have the responsibility of advising clients about dark patterns and the risks associated with using them. For instance, a client might believe that making it difficult for people to cancel their subscriptions will enhance customer retention and profitability. It is the designer’s job in this situation to push back and explain why this strategy is more likely to result in annoyance and unfavorable feedback.
Designers should constantly support open user interfaces that enable users the freedom to choose for themselves. It can be challenging to balance corporate objectives with excellent user experience, but dark patterns are rarely the solution.
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